(1) What is the evidence? JOSEPH'S MAGIC HAT* Joseph Smith's claim of receiving gold plates from a holy angel, has attracted millions of converts to the Mormon Church, a church which now boasts a membership of nearly thirteen million, and continues to add about a million new members every three years or less. Enter a list of names or numbers - and the magic hat will pull a random result out! Joseph Smith and his magic top hat! Church-published depictions of the "translation" usually show Smith sitting at a table, sometimes wearing the "Urim and Thummmim", with the "golden plates" open before him, while he dictated the words to a scribe. Doctrine and Covenants / Pearl of Great Price, Mormon Objections to Christian Evangelism, Teachings of the Presidents of the Church, “Did Joseph Smith Use the Seer Stone…or didn’t he?”, Book of Mormon Translation: Though Questions Persist, One Thing is Clear. On page 12 of his book An Address to All Believers in Christ, Whitmer wrote, “I will now give you a description of the manner in which the Book of Mormon was translated. 2. Viewpoint on Mormonism broadcasts on this topic: Your generous support makes the work of MRM possible. Whitmer details exactly how the stone produced the English interpretation. In Joseph Smith, “Letter Book A,” 1832–1835, 1–[6] (earliest numbering). Many of our effects have appeared on television and stage around the world. According to a court record dated March 20, 1826, Smith was described as a “glass-looker,” a common scam in which the glass looker claimed to have the ability to find buried treasure (for a fee, of course). What could be the reason for leaving these items out of a publicity painting except to distance the translation from the ocultic practices that really characterized the Book of Mormon translation! What is interesting in this assertion is that Smith, whom Maxwell admits did not know any ancient languages and was said to be ignorant of the facts in his Bible, could have improved his translation abilities without becoming proficient in the language he was translating! Joseph Smith and his magic top hat! If he was using these “divine instrumentalities” to translate the language into English. It hardly seems reasonable to suppose that the Prophet would substitute something evidently inferior under these circumstances. Joseph Smith using a hat to block out external light while gazing into his stone (Dialogue Journal, Summer 1982) Fact-checking Mormon History: was Joseph Smith a Convicted Con Man? Thus the Book of Mormon was translated by the gift and power of God, and not by any power of man.”, Robert N. Hullinger, in his book: Joseph Smith’s Response to Skepticism, cites a personal interview Emma Smith-Bidamon gave to a committee of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1879. In his Comprehensive History of the Church (CHC), LDS historian and Seventy Brigham H. Roberts quotes Martin Harris, one of the three witnesses whose name is found in every edition of the Book of Mormon since its original edition. Gospel Topics Essays What are they telling us about the Brethren https://youtu.be/LZRkJCloKWQGospel Topics DNA Contradicting LDS Scriptures     https://youtu.be/-oKT52_cAXcGospel Topics and Revising History . Harris said that Smith possessed a seer stone, described by Roberts as a “chocolate-colored, somewhat egg-shaped stone which the Prophet found while digging a well in company with his brother Hyrum.” Roberts goes on to state that it was by using this stone that “Joseph was able to translate the characters engraven on the plates” (CHC 1:129). Eyewitness accounts clearly conflict with the image the LDS Church is currently attempting to portray. “Joseph Smith would put the seer stone into a hat, and put his face in the hat, drawing it closely around his face to exclude the light; and in the darkness the spiritual light would shine. 3. If so many witnesses testify to Smith’s use of a hat and a magical rock, why don’t Mormon books and periodicals, for the sake of accuracy, emphasize the fact? 39). Book Review: Jesus’ Resurrection and Joseph’s Vision: Examining the Foundations of Christianity and Mormonism, The Seer Stone (Picture released by church). They were filled with engravings, in Egyptian characters and bound together in a volume as the leaves of a book, with three rings running through the whole. Does Truth Matter When Recounting Mormon History? This heavenly messenger is reported to have told him about gold plates that contained a record of “former inhabitants of this continent, and the source from whence they sprang.” The plates were said to contain “the fulness of the everlasting Gospel” as it was “delivered by the Savior to the ancient inhabitants.” In order to translate the language contained on the plates (a language called “Reformed Egyptian”), two stones in silver bows, called the Urim and Thummim, were included with the plates (Joseph Smith History 1:34-35). The question at hand, then, is whether or not Smith’s translation of the Book of Mormon plates is true. It seems apparent that the Book of Mormon was, in fact, brought about using an occultic method. Joseph Fielding Smith, the tenth president of the LDS Church (1970-72): “If Joseph Smith was a deceiver, who willfully attempted to mislead the people, then he should be exposed; his claims should be refuted, and his doctrines shown to be false.” (Doctrines of Salvation, Vol. We pray that both the LDS people, and those investigating the LDS Church, will take a closer look at how this supposedly “sacred” book came about. ^ Lloyd, R. Scott (2015-08-05). And that is why Smith, his defenders, and the church's apologists have worked so hard over the years to debunk the reports of Smith's folk-magic activities. Why do the pictures of Smith translating from the plates–as shown in the January 1997 Ensign–have him deep in thought rather than looking into a hat? Although allowing for the possibility that seer stones could have been used by Smith, Maxwell says this did not mean Smith was translating letter by letter as the earlier witnesses suggest he did. https://youtu.be/WxxhSo7tLYMMisleading LDS Church History  https://youtu.be/9bSk1BJfe5M  LDS   church History Manual 1st Vision has false into   https://youtu.be/JfkxIMov_iI  LDS   church History Manual 1st Vision has false into   https://youtu.be/JfkxIMov_iI   Early Mormon History Magic https://youtu.be/Ptey7th7Wlk Young Joseph \u0026 the Seer Stone  https://youtu.be/19RC81_fq5QFirst Vision new version  composit on lds.org https://youtu.be/Ru-amw-AQekLDS Scriptures Truthfulness Proven 100 %  https://youtu.be/fU8vYqfDIpo  Honesty of LDS Leaders    https:// youtu.be/ByMqmpH0Zms Gospel Topics Essays Introhttps://youtu.be/usov1iuy8dg. Again the LDS Church seems to be revising its history. Joseph Smith, originally Joseph Smith, Jr., (born December 23, 1805, Sharon, Vermont, U.S.—died June 27, 1844, Carthage, Illinois), American prophet and founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.. The volume was something near six inches in thickness, a part of which was sealed” (History of the Church 4:537). Yet because its coming so amply fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy of a `marvelous work and a wonder,’ we may find strengthened faith in considering how marvelous and wondrous the translation was…” (Ensign, January 1997, pg. flickr Second, as far as religions go, Mormonism is strikingly new—less than 200 years old—so most people aren't used to it yet. 12 player public game completed on March 31st, 2012 582 0 8 hrs. Use the Magic Hat Full Screen. But Maxwell goes on. A piece of something resembling parchment would appear, and on that appeared the writing. Page 29 of the book, Meet the Mormons (1965 ed. Joseph used this same peep stone, or one like it, in his translation of the Book of Mormon. He wrote: “He was called a ‘money digger,’ and many other contemptuous things. Great for revealing winners or choosing a random name in the classroom! Joseph Smith (Sharon, 23 december 1805 - Carthage, 27 juni 1844) was de stichter van de Heiligen der Laatste dagen-beweging en de grondlegger van de Kerk van de heiligen der laatste dagen(ook wel bekend als de mormoonse kerk).Hij was de zoon van Joseph Smith Sr. en Lucy Mack. The information is all hearsay, and personally, I do not believe that this stone was used for this purpose. But is it really a magic hat? Interestingly enough, an article in the January 1997 LDS Church publication Ensign leaves out any mention of the hat and deemphasizes the seer stone. He writes: “Our primary focus in studying the Book of Mormon should be on the principles of the gospel anyway, not on the process by which the book came forth. Obviously, many Mormons have tried to deny that Smith had anything to do with glass looking or money digging. This is how Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon.In fact he translated nothing, he dictated from his head in his hat.The 'supposed' Gold Plates were always covered wrapped in a cloth and sometimes were never even seen nearby as he dictated from his hat. “he was not necessarily and constantly scrutinizing the characters on the plates–the usual translation process of going back and forth between pondering an ancient text and providing a modern rendering…While the use of divine instrumentalities might also account for the rapid rate of translation, the Prophet sometimes may have used a less mechanical procedure. Question: What is the probability that Joseph Smith possessed items related to "magic"? Joseph Smith would put the seer stone into a hat, and put his face in the hat, drawing it closely around his face to exclude the light; and in the darkness the spiritual light would shine. The founder of the LDS Church, Joseph Smith, claimed an angel named Moroni visited him in September of 1823. Explaining the particulars about using a stone in a hat (besides drawing attention to the occult nature of using seer-stones) might have also suggested that material was being hid in the hat for Joseph to refer to. If Smith truly was a prophet with the ability to decipher plates of an unknown language which were said to contain the story of Jesus’ appearance in the Americas, then this man should be revered and his translation of this ancient work heralded as God’s word to mankind. Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling, the popular biography of Joseph Smith by Richard L. Bushman, claims that the Prophet was “involved in magic,” while simultaneously receiving revelation from Heaven and restoring the Gospel of Jesus Christ. LazyDavid. ), also shows a curtain separating Smith from his scribe Oliver Cowdery. Thank you! It may have been so, but it is so easy for a story of this kind to be circulated due to the fact that the Prophet did possess a seer stone, which he may have used for some other purposes” (Doctrines of Salvation 3:225-226). Site Menu. Joseph Fielding Smith and Gordon B Hinckley Falsifying Church History https://youtu.be/2VUsqUeFxi8GORDON b Hinkley Denying Church Doctrines      https://youtu.be/QDDqJ0paPs0GBH JESUS wants us 4 an  Air Raid   https://youtu.be/fSl5w1uANMQ.Gospel Topics  Essay DNA in the  Promised Land     https://youtu.be/bPEPGWgcS3E. Yet we do have a few precious insights. The method in which Joseph Smith “translated” the gold plates has been a source of interest to many people who have studied the origins of the LDS movement. Joseph Smith used a stone in a hat to help him in his translation of the Book of Mormon. Translating the Book of Mormon w/ Hats & Stones “A Treasured Testament”, Ensign, July 1993, pg 61; “The details of this miraculous method of translation are still not fully known. Mormons believe Joseph Smith found gold plates engraved with writing in ancient Egyptian in New York and God helped him translate the text using an egg-sized stone Spit out poop at water fountain JULIA GILLARD. This interview took place in February 1879 in the presence of Lewis C. Bidamon, her husband. If this process should strengthen the believer’s testimony, then why isn’t the true process being told? 39). In the adjacent visitor’s center a painting of Smith “translating” the plates also showed a curtain separating Smith and his scribe. Joseph Smith’s claim of receiving gold plates from a holy angel, has attracted over ten million converts to the Mormon Church, a church which doubles its population every 10 to 12 years at the rate of 840 new members a day. 1. MagicSmith designs state of the art magic effects for discerning magicians around the world. We simply do not know the details” (pg. There is plenty of evidence to show that Smith, the one whom Mormons claim God used to restore the “true” church, was quite fascinated with the occult, as were members of his immediate family. In our opinion, the answer to these questions stems from the fact that the earlier accounts are embarrassing to the LDS Church, so a better, more “faith-promoting” account has been proposed. A piece of something resembling parchment would appear, and on that appeared the writing. Martin Harris was one of the scribes Joseph Smith used to record the writing on the plates. He wrote: “While the statement has been made by some writers that the Prophet Joseph Smith used a seer stone part of the time in his translating of the record, and information points to the fact that he did have in his possession such a stone, yet there is no authentic statement in the history of the Church which states that the use of such a stone was made in that translation. When Mr Jones and Stumpy find a hat, they start to believe it has magical powers and make some wishes. JOSEPH’S MAGIC HAT* Joseph Smith’s claim of receiving gold plates from a holy angel, has attracted millions of converts to the Mormon Church, a church which now boasts a membership of nearly thirteen million, and continues to add about a million new members every three years or less. The use of similar types of seer stones, or peep stones as they were also called, was quite common among believers in folk magic during the time of Joseph Smith. Joseph Smith deflected discussion on the mechanism of translation. Brother Joseph would read off the English to Oliver Cowdery, who was his principal scribe, and when it was written down and repeated to brother Joseph to see if it was correct, then it would disappear, and another character with the interpretation would appear. His grandfather, Asael Smith, lost most of his property in Topsfield, Massachusetts, during the economic … In fact, a picture on page 38 shows the dutiful Oliver Cowdery writing down the English translation while Smith appears to be translating. Joseph would place this small, special rock in his hat then pull the hat up to his face to block out all light. His account is also similar to the accounts given by Harris and Whitmer although he refers to the seer stone as the “Urim and Thummim.” He stated, “The manner in which this was done was by looking into the Urim and Thummim, which was placed in a hat to exclude the light, (the plates lying near by covered up), and reading off the translation, which appeared in the stone by the power of God” (2:417). A piece of something resembling parchment would appear, and under it was the interpretation in English. I always wanted my very own Magic Hat, complete with Seer Stones and Urim + Thumim charms so that I can translate Holy Scriptures. This is the difference between the way Mormons and critics of the LDS Church view Mormonism’s first prophet. 1, p. 188). While many paintings and pictures used in Mormon visitor’s centers and books depict a prayerful Smith leaning over the plates, many contemporaries of Smith admit that he used a hat and a seer stone as a means of bringing about this “divine” record. Joseph Smith :stone hat on Vimeo Join "Church releases Book of Mormon printer's manuscript". 4. In fact, LDS Apostle Neal Maxwell, who authored the article, quotes Apostle Orson Pratt from 1874 as saying that Smith relied less and less upon the seer stones the more he learned how to translate (pg. Maxwell feels that a curtain/separator was used only to partition off the living area to keep the translator and scribe from the eyes of visitors. According to Smith’s testimony, four more years went by before the angel allowed him to retrieve the gold plates. Harris’ description concurs with that of David Whitmer, another one of the three witnesses whose testimony appears at the front of the Book of Mormon. Joseph’s Magic Hat. No doubt they understand that most people would balk in accepting the Book of Mormon if it was known to have been “translated” by using a magical rock and a hat. I am pretty sure Joseph Smith must have already had the Magic Hat when the angel Moroni told him where to find the Golden Plates from which the Book of Mormon was translated. At one point Emma stated the following: ‘In writing for your father I frequently wrote day after day, often sitting at the table close by him, he sitting with his face buried in his hat, with the stone in it, and dictating hour after hour with nothing between us… . Joseph F. Smith, Mormonism’s sixth president, concluded that such a title was used by enemies to injure the prophet’s credibility. Did he get it as a birthday present from his Parents ? Joseph Smith, Jr.'s role in the quest for treasure was especially important since he had a seer stone. You know, the one he stared into to translate the majority of the Book of Mormon? Magic Hat. Magic Hat - Magic Random Hat - Random Names - Random Numbers. Try more Random Name Pickers! “By aid of the Seer Stone, sentences would appear and were read by the Prophet and written by Martin, and when finished he would say ‘written;’ and if correctly written, the sentence would disappear and another appear in its place; but if not written correctly it remained until corrected, so that the translation was just as it was engraven on the plates, precisely in the language then used” (CHC 1:29). He is also one of the many people who met a indescribable being and received a part of its own body. It also goes against the explanations of the earlier witnesses. (1) 185k members in the exmormon community. JOSEPH SMITH’S INVOLVEMENT WITH MAGIC, MASONRY, AND THE OCCULT© How Joseph Smith put it all together. Apostle Maxwell says the translation process should strengthen the faith of the faithful Mormon. This enabled him to give a first-hand account of how Smith performed this translation. 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